


Ember

by elirwen



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-18
Updated: 2013-03-18
Packaged: 2017-12-05 18:28:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/726456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elirwen/pseuds/elirwen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin’s still pale and weak, even three days after Ember’s arrival into the world, but he shines with happiness as he looks down at the small bundle in his arms.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ember

**Author's Note:**

> This is something new for me because all my mpregs so far have been about pregnancy and birth while this one is set after the birth of the baby. :)
> 
> The omega!verse sort of happened. It's just a mention anyway.

Arthur watches from the doorway. 

Merlin’s still pale and weak, even three days after Ember’s arrival into the world, but he shines with happiness as he looks down at the small bundle in his arms. 

Arthur pushes away the still too fresh memory of cold fear racing though his veins as he supported Merlin’s body against his own, washing sweat from Merlin’s brow, whispering encouragements into Merlin’s ear. He tries to forget Merlin’s pain-filled gasps and cries, his pleading for it to be over. He’s torn between wanting to remember the first cry of their new born daughter and wishing to forget the moment as at the same time Merlin grew still against him and for a minute Arthur believed him dead.

They’re both safe now, healthy and cared for. 

Merlin shifts Ember to the other side of his chest and she suckles hungrily on the other nipple. Merlin looks up with a tired smile and Arthur finally pushes himself from the door and crosses the room to sit on the side of their bed. 

“Anything important?” Merlin asks and Arthur knows he’s asking about the council meeting, but Arthur doesn’t want to talk about taxes and diplomatic missions. 

“Just you two,” he says instead and Merlin dips his head, his smile shining a bit brighter. 

Arthur leans in, pressing a kiss to Merlin’s forehead.

“How are you feeling?” he asks, watching Ember’s half-hearted sucking as she’s falling asleep between them.

“Better. Gaius says I might be ready to go for a short walk tomorrow,” Merlin says.

“I’d like to be there for you,” Arthur says and Merlin kisses him, slow and sweet.

There’s a quiet knock on the door and a servant slips into the room carrying Merlin’s meal. He sets it on the bedside table and leaves with a bow.

Ember’s fast asleep, her tiny mouth slack around Merlin’s swollen nipple, and Arthur gathers her carefully into his arms. She seems so small and vulnerable. Arthur has never felt so protective over someone, except for Merlin. He’d give his life if it meant saving either one of them.

Merlin sips his broth, a bit of colour returning to his cheeks. He nibbles at a few pieces of roast chicken and cheese, but downs the cup of milk in one go. Arthur doesn’t push him to eat the rest of food on the plate. He knows Merlin will eat it later when he feels no longer full. 

Merlin lies on his side and Arthur lays Ember next to him, watching him curl around her protectively with a content expression on his face. He can’t resist and climbs on the bed, spooning Merlin from behind. 

“I wish I could stay, but I need to oversee the knights’ tryouts,” Arthur whispers. 

“I know,” Merlin says. 

The nurse maid arrives with a knock on the door, bringing in a small stack of nappies and leaving again. Merlin is tense against him even after she’s gone and he’s holding Ember closer than before. Arthur doesn’t comment at first, trying to smooth the tension away by caresses and kisses, but then he hears a quiet sniffle.

“Merlin?” he asks, propping himself on his elbow to look at Merlin’s face, but Merlin has turned it down into the pillow.

“What’s wrong?” Arthur asks.

“It’s nothing,” Merlin mumbles.

“You’re crying. It’s definitely something,” Arthur says.

“She’ll take her away again. I’m too weak to look after her,” Merlin says, his voice thick with tears.

“What?” Arthur asks, trying to make sense of what Merlin just said. “You mean the nurse maid? She’s been taking Ember from you?”

“I asked her not to, but she told me she knew what’s best for her,” Merlin says, sounding defeated.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Arthur asks, imagining Merlin curled alone on the bed, crying, and wills himself not to sound angry. “You should have told me.”

“She’s been a nurse maid for years. She used to be your nurse maid. She knows so much more about babies than I do,” Merlin says and sniffles. “And I’m not strong enough to take care of Ember.”

“That’s why she’s supposed to be here, to help you, not to take Ember away from you,” Arthur says, pressing a kiss to Merlin’s hair. “I’ll talk to her. And you need to tell me if anyone does something to upset you.” 

Merlin nods, sinking deeper into Arthur’s embrace.

“I love you,” he murmurs sleepily, pulling Arthur’s arm tighter around himself.

 

~x~

 

Arthur doesn’t go oversee the knight’s tryouts. He sends Leon to give the aspirants a training session and tell them to come back for the tryouts the next day. 

After, he talks to the nurse maid. He tries to be as respectful as he can, he’s known Bridget since he was a child after all, but even if she’s trying to hide it, it’s obvious she’s not taking her new orders well.

He wants to make sure that Bridget will obey his commands. He trusts Merlin to tell him if she doesn’t, but that might mean Merlin’d have to go through more hours without their daughter. 

That’s why after telling Merlin about his talk with Bridget and waiting for him to fall asleep, Arthur leaves the chambers only to sneak back in through the less used door that are locked most of the time and is currently hiding behind the changing screen in the room right next to the bedchamber. Nobody but him uses it these days, so he’s confident he won’t be found. 

Minutes tick by and he contemplates getting a book from one of the shelves, but then he hears the sound of the door opening and closing and rustling of fabric.

“She needs changing,” Bridget says, her voice stern and Arthur can hear more shuffling.

Ember starts crying and Arthur resists the urge to run out of hiding and calm her.

“Maybe she’s hungry,” Merlin says and Arthur imagines him sitting up in the bed, reaching out for their daughter. 

“You think you know better, don’t you,” Bridget says, and there’s so much venom in the words.

Arthur has never heard her speak like this to anyone. 

“No, it’s just… it’s been a while since she drank,” Merlin says. 

“You must be so pleased the prince chose you, such a lowly omega like you. You think you’re higher than us now, but you’ll never be more than a peasant,” she says.

“Please, just give her back to me,” Merlin pleads. 

“What do you think would happen if I told the king you enchanted the prince, forced him to mate with you?” 

Arthur can’t listen to it any longer and barges out of his hiding. He takes the still crying Ember from Bridget’s arms, basking in the look of shock and fear on her face.

“You will never again come near my mate or our daughter,” Arthur growls. “I’ll be merciful and won’t have you thrown into dungeon because you’ve served us well except for these very last days, but if I hear about you telling a bad word about Merlin to my father, I’ll make sure you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

She stares at him, frozen in place.

“Out,” he yells and she scampers out the door, almost tripping over her feet.

Arthur regrets yelling at her a moment later because it caused more distress to Ember. He tries to shush her, rocking her as he takes the few steps towards the bed, depositing her into Merlin’s outstretched arms. 

“Do you think she knows?” Merlin asks when Ember stops crying, her tiny mouth closed around Merlin’s nipple as she drinks.

“What?” Arthur asks.

“About my magic.”

Arthur shakes his head.

“Unfortunately, false accusations of sorcery are nothing new around here,” he says. 

Merlin nods and Arthur knows they’re both thinking about the witchfinder incident. 

“I thought you were needed at the tryouts,” Merlin says.

“I wanted to make sure she’d do as she was told,” Arthur says. “But I didn’t think she’d go so far.”

“I’m glad you were here. I don’t think I could stop myself from using magic if she tried to take Ember away from me again.”

Arthur leans down for a kiss, pouring all his love and care into it. They stay like that for a while, their lips softly brushing.

“I’ll be here for you, no matter what,” Arthur says.

“Forever and ever?” Merlin asks, smiling against Arthur’s lips.

“Forever and ever,” Arthur says and he means it.

**Author's Note:**

> It's not in the fic anywhere, but Merlin has never been Arthur's manservant (he couldn't be as an omega). He worked as Gaius's assistant. But they solved things together. And fell in love. Because it's destiny. xD
> 
> Also [at my journal](http://elirwen.livejournal.com/70543.html).
> 
> Comments and kudos are ♥.


End file.
